The present invention was first described in Disclosure Document Number 449192 filed on Dec. 28, 1998. There are no previously filed, nor currently any co-pending applications, anywhere in the world.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for installing a bearing cup and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for installing bearing cups for bearings in the wheel hub in trucks or other large vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
As anyone who performs a lot of mechanical work will attest, nothing beats having the proper tool for a job. The proper tool can save time, save money, produce a higher quality job, reduce damage to equipment, and provide for the increased safety of the worker. Each field of mechanical work has its own type of specialty tools, each performing a specialized task. One field where there has been a need for such a specialized tool is in the repair of wheel bearings for large trucks, particularly the inserting of bearing cups. Bearing cups used for bearings often have to be replaced on a regular basis with such units. In the past one method of seating such stops have included hitting them with a hammer. Needless to say, such a method can easily damage the cup or the hub in which it is mounted. Such damage can be extremely costly. Additionally, the action of hitting them with a hammer puts the worker at increased risk of physical injury, should the stop fly out of the hub.
In the related art, there exists many patents for various devices and methods for installing bearings, seals, gears, impellers, bushings and sprockets. Only two patents were found that even discuss bearing cups for wheel bearings and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,689 issued to Mazziotti discloses a mounting for a bearing cup of a universal joint. This reference has no relevance here since the present invention specifically has application to the wheels of trucks and large vehicles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,447 issued to Davis discloses a bearing cup installation tool similar to the present invention. However, nowhere in the Davis reference does it discuss to what vehicles the device has application to. The device in Davis appears to be of a universal design to allow the installation of bearing cups of varying diameters in vehicles of all sorts. Further, the Davis design has a cross head with three pairs of radially extending arms for engaging an outer end of the bearing cup and a driving handle, whereby driving force imparted by a hammer, struck against an end of the driving handle, drives the bearing cup into the opening.
The present invention, in addition to having application specifically to trucks and large vehicles only, differs from Davis in many respects. First of all, the present invention uses a mechanical screw design to press the bearing cup into the bearing hub. This eliminates the need for a driving force from the use of a hammer or other instrument. Whenever a driving force delivered by impact is delivered, the potential for damaging the bearing cup or bearing hub is always present. The present invention eliminates this problem by allowing one to slowly and controllably press the bearing cup into the hub. The present invention also can accommodate bearing cups and hubs of varying diameters but it accomplishes this without requiring the use of a bulky and a mechanically complex expanding radial arm assembly.
Accordingly, there is a need for a less complicated device and method by which an individual can quickly and easily seat bearing cups for bearings in the wheel hubs of trucks without risk of damage or injury. The development of the Bearing Cup Inserting Tool fulfills this need.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related:
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved bearing cup inserting tool and method.
It is another object the present invention to provide a bearing up inserting tool that seats bearing cups in hubs of trucks.
It is yet another object of the prevent invention to eliminate the use of a hammer to install bearing cups.
It is still yet another object of the prevent invention.to protect bearing surfaces and bearing cup surfaces while installing bearing cups.
It is yet still another object of the present invention to be quick, easy to use.
It is a feature of the present invention to allow for quick resets after use.
Briefly described according to one embodiment of the present invention, the Bearing Cup Inserting Tool, as its name implies, is a specialized tool to install bearing cups on trucks and other large vehicles. The tool accomplishes this task with a minimum of effort and without driving them with a hammer, which can damage them beyond repair. A threaded rod is inserted through the hub and the bearing cups. Next, specially designed bearing cup tools are added to each end, and a hex nut is placed on the free end of the rod. By wrenching the threaded rod, the bearing cup tools compress the bearing cups inward pressing the bearing cups into the recesses in the hub.